92nd American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting (January 22-26, 2012)

Thursday, 26 January 2012: 11:15 AM
NOAA/NESDIS Process for Research to Operations
Room 242 (New Orleans Convention Center )
Awdhesh Sharma, NOAA/NESDIS/OSPO/SPSD, College Park, MD; and T. Schott, A. Irving, M. Seybold, J. Paquette, D. R. Donahue, and S. L. Bunin

Poster PDF (4.9 MB)

NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) generates and distributes environmental satellite data and products to a wide range of federal government agencies, state and local governments, international users, universities, research institutions, and the general public. The NESDIS Satellite Products and Services Review Board (SPSRB) is responsible for the oversight and guidance necessary to effectively manage the product life cycle process from product development, transition into operations, enhancements and retirement. The SPSRB focuses on the transition of satellite products from research into operations to meet user needs for satellite information. This paper describes key processes and interfaces that are used in the development and implementation of satellite data products and services transitioning from research to operations. The SPSRB provides an evaluation mechanism which enables a more efficient use of personnel, fiscal, and information technology resources. Monthly SPSRB meetings and weekly SPSRB Process Improvement Working Group (SPIWG) meetings provide a forum for the Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO), the Center for Satellite and Applications and Research (STAR), and the Office of Satellite Development (OSD) management to evaluate user requests for new or enhanced satellite-derived data products, perform analysis of alternatives to meet user needs, monitor the progress of product development and approve new products going into operations. The SPSRB also provides satellite product development guidance and policy. The SPSRB process has six steps namely: 1) User Request; 2) Assessment; 3) Analysis of Alternatives; 4) Initial Project Plan; 5) Operational Decision, and 6) Product Divestiture or Retirement. In addition, there are several SPSRB interface components. These include: 1) Resource Identification and Product Development/Reporting; 2) Consolidated Observational Requirements List (CORL) and Mission Observational Requirements List (MORL) databases, and 3) NOAA Observational System Architecture (NOSA) database. The transition of satellite products from research to operations is examined through the SPSRB in three ways: 1) User request; 2) Science Improvement; and 3) Project Manager Development. The transition to operations of new satellite products from all of these paths requires approval through the SPSRB process. An example of transitioning a product from research to operations following the SPSRB process will also be provided. This paper will also provide the process in which a user can submit a user request through the SPSRB website.

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